Altar Servers

I finally had my first encounter with the kids of the school on Friday. There are 50 some students there that range in age from 2 to 12! I will let you guess what Mass was like with them all. I was prepared for lots of kids, but not for 2-year-olds!

I know that they have had Mass together on occasion, but many don’t have even the most fundamental idea of what is going on in church. After speaking with them for a few moments, I knew already that it was time to scrap my homily on the Sacred Heart. I went instead with more basic concepts like ‘what are even doing here in the church’ and ‘what is the Eucharist’. When I asked the kids at one point where Jesus was in the church, not one child knew the answer. They gave good responses such as the crucifix, in heaven, in our hearts, but not one knew He was in the tabernacle – not even the kids who were supposed to have received first communion in a few weeks!!!

Their relative ignorance aside, the kids are really wonderful and a joy to be with. When I asked if any of them would be interested in helping me at the altar, so many hands went up that I limited it for now to those who are preparing for first communion. So, I now have about 8 kids who are so enthusiastic that I have to be careful that they all get a fair chance at serving. I was really impressed that one even volunteered to come on Sundays (they all attend mass on Saturday after their catechism class and none of their parents come to church, so it means this kid is coming by himself by foot). Of course they haven’t got the faintest clue what to do yet, but those that have served so far were all very reverent and tried hard. I just hope that this fervor lasts. Since I have no albs for them, I have asked that they all at least wear pants and shoes – if possible. I have to accept the very real possibility that one or the other does not have proper pants or shoes. In that sense, I don’t dare question any of them if they come in track pants or ratty T-shirts. The last thing I want to do is embarrass any of them.

I have one big challenge that I face with the children, and it is one that is common the world over – but like all things here, yet again different. The problem is that I am about to lose contact with them for the next 2 months – they are all about to go on summer vacation! That means that over most of Advent and Christmas, and the following month I won’t see very much of them unless they come of their own accord, which is still unlikely at this point.

That is also the reason that I moved first communion. I have been told that what frequently happens is that they receive first communion, then they all go on summer break and so they don’t come to church for two months, and after, they simply never start coming again. There is no support from at home, since their parents never come, so they naturally fall away just when they were starting. Therefore, first communion will be held around Easter time, giving them more time to prepare, more time to get familiar with the church, and more support afterwards (since here they have school all through the winter months of June, July, August). Hopefully it will help.